Juniper

A lonely young man struggling with his mother's death is confronted by the visit of his acerbic alcoholic grandmother.

I found this very moving. With very real characters whose lives you can feel right into and performances to match, with George Ferrier looking very good beside veterans Charlotte Rampling and Martin Csokas. I empathised strongly with the protagonist's situation: his grief, his inability to communicate it, his feelings of isolation and hopelessness, and also how the slightest hint of positive attention from someone new, unlike anyone else in your world, can change your whole perspective. A character study with vulnerable honesty and an underplayed depth of feeling.

It's a relationship drama set in New Zealand in the mid-1990s. It follows a troubled teenager still reeling from his mother's death from cancer and alienated from his father and grandmother.

Sam Stevenson (George Ferrier) is a teenage boy placed in a boarding school by his father, Robert (Marton Csokas), soon after the death of Sam's mother. Sam feels abandoned and has acted out his frustration in various ways. Robert brings Sam home from school when Robert's mother, Ruth (Charlotte Rampling), comes from England to recuperate from a fall and a slow-healing broken leg. Ruth was a famed wartime photographer but has alienated her son and grandson for years. Nurse Sarah (Edith Poor) accompanies Ruth to New Zealand. Sarah, a devout Catholic, hopes to save Ruth from her heavy drinking (a bottle of gin daily) and alienating personality.

The film follows Sam's relationship with his grandmother, especially when Robert leaves for England to look after some of his wealthy mother's estate issues. We learn more about Sam's trauma around his mother's death and the reasons for Ruth's alienation from her only son. We also understand the real reason Ruth came to New Zealand.

"Juniper," which gets its name from a key ingredient in gin, is a film about life and death and the healing of family relationships. It is not maudlin and features excellent performances by Ferrier and Rampling. A few scenes stretch credulity, including the logistics of managing Ruth's last decision. A white horse plays a crucial role in the story. In sum, "Juniper" is an outstanding film.

We've seen this dynamic many times over the years and while the setup is familiar, it's all about how a director handles the material and he does so with grace and charm.

Charlotte Rampling commands the stage as a grandmother who comes home to heal from a leg injury. A drinker and distant from her son Robert who promptly leaves to settle affairs in the UK. She's brutally honest and let's people know she will not be pushed around. But you learn about her slowly over the course of the film and why she is in her ways atm.

She immediately clashes with her angry grandson who was just suspended from school and is cooped up at home with a grandmother he's not met until now. George Ferrier equally matches her fiery performance as the angry youth. Depressed and suicidal, he is Unable to deal with his mothers death, until he receives some well deserved tough love from grandmother. The events play out in a laid back fashion and done with I feel a sense of realism. The topics presented like grief, aging, coming of age feel natural here and there's no stupid comedy section presented for laughs. I could see this going the opposite way if this were an American production for sure with heavy handed speeches and cliched ending.

All around a wholesome film made with heart, a fine watch.

A slow moving film,more a study in character and acting.charlotte rampling the sixties icon not afraid to show her age.her study in age and truth,things lost roads not taken is dealt with great aplomb.the small but valuable supporting cast is very good.her vinegary put downs and side swipes hide a very brittle person.very reminiscent of Mrs havisham the way she manipulates people around her like chess pieces.death is also dealt with in the physical and mental acceptance of it.the choice of music good but not intrusive.an overall small independent film that deserves a better release.well worth an hour and half of your time.

My Review- Juniper My Rating. 7.5 /10

I found Juniper a very moving film but a little emotionally triggering by that I mean basically it "pressed my buttons." in parts.

I must admit I dozed off a little first viewing not because I was bored but just tiredness so I watched it again and I'm glad I did.

This interesting 2021 movie from New Zealand written and directed by Matthew J Saville is what I call a slow burner but by the conclusion I had definitely warmed to it .

The subjects that crop up in Juniper are confronting they include family alcoholism, grief, assisted dying, teenage suicide and parent child communication breakdown .

It's certainly not a musical comedy ,although come to think of it I have seen all those subjects portrayed in the modern musical theatre of today.

Sam ( George Ferrier) the teenage son of Robert (Martin Csokas ) on returning home from boarding school after a self-destructive spree prompted by his mothers death discovers his gin-soaked grandmother Ruth has moved in.

Ruth played by the wonderful actress (Charlotte Rampling) once had a lust for life . A former War photographer now old age , excessive alcohol abuse and her disappointment with life has turned her into a very bitter woman in a wheelchair approaching the finality of her life.

Sam is really a chip off his Grandmother's block and after an initial awkward and violent introduction a battle of wills ensues which eventually thaws out both of these strong and determined individuals resulting eventually in acceptance and reconciliation for all the family members including Sam's absentee Dad Robert played by Marton Csokas.

The two standout performances in Juniper are George Ferrier as Sam and of course Charlotte Rampling as Ruth and this film is worth watching just for them.

Charlotte Rampling said she found the semi autobiographical script by Matthew Saville "just very very compelling." Her first husband was a Kiwi and although not particularly wanting to leave her home in Saint-Germain Paris to travel across the world to New Zealand she said the story " came to her across the page" George Ferrier as Sam I think will be an interesting actor to watch I haven't seen the series "One of us is Lying "that he appears in 4 episodes of but I will look it up after seeing his passionate and sensitive performance as Sam in Juniper this 21 year old actor should receive plenty of role offers after Juniper.

Juniper is a quiet slow burner of a movie I recommend it for movie lovers who enjoy complex characters and films that aren't afraid to deal with sensitive subjects and a great Directorial debut feature film for Matthew Saville.